7 compete for Sauk Rapids ambassador title

Sauk Rapids royalty Princess Carissa Gaffy (left to right), Smith and Princess Beth Zwilling give their first official wave in 2012 after being crowned at the Performing Arts Center in Sauk Rapids-Rice High School. This year’s crop of ambassadors will be crowned Thursday.(Photo: Jason Wachter, jwachter@stcloudtimes.com)

SAUK RAPIDS – Seven girls will take center stage Thursday in an auditorium packed with friends, family and guests to earn one of three positions for Sauk Rapids Community Ambassadors.

It's been just two years since the title was changed from Miss Sauk Rapids, a decision made by the Sauk Rapids Community Ambassador Organization board of directors.

"We decided to change it to the Sauk Rapids Community Ambassadors; we wanted to make the positions equal. Because they each do equal work, receiving an equal scholarship," said ambassador pageant director Ellen Thronson. "And that's what a lot of communities had been doing is changing it to ambassadors. I think it just is updated. We wanted to encompass more than just the crown and the gown, even though that part is important. We just felt like there could be and is more to it than that."

Leading up to the event, the girls have participated in weekly sessions dedicated to interviewing, etiquette, poise, confidence, etc. The etiquette course has ranked high among this year's participants.

Chelsey Haffner, who graduated from Sauk Rapids-Rice High School in May, said she applied because she wanted to be more involved with her community, meet new people and step out of her comfort zone.

"I love our meetings. I feel like I've learned a lot about how to like sit and act and eat properly, that I was unaware of before. There's rules to everything," Haffner said.

To apply, participants must have completed their junior or senior year of high school at Sauk Rapids-Rice High School or in Sauk Rapids or Rice. Everyone who applies and meets all criteria listed in the application is accepted to compete for the crowns and a $3,000 scholarship equally divided among the three winners courtesy of Sauk Rapids Lions Club.

"Usually we like to have 10 (candidates), but this year we had seven and they're seven greatly qualified candidates and we felt they put in the time and effort and we were going to put in the time and effort and have our pageant as well," Thronson said.

On pageant night, the girls will be evaluated under a point system.

A panel of outside judges will interview each contestant individually, which is worth 50 points. Twenty points is allocated to their evening gowns, and 10 points for essay questions, community service and involvement and impromptu questions, for a total of 100 points.

But before the competitive atmosphere takes the attention of the girls, a traditional slumber party on June 23 has contestant Kaitlin Janson, a senior at Sauk Rapids-Rice, eager for more camaraderie.

"From last year's people they've been saying it's a lot of fun, so that's what I'm most excited for, when all the girls get together and we get to have a huge sleepover," she said.